Fatso Jetson
Fatso Jetson are an American desert rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1994. Founded by brothers Mario and Larry Lalli along with drummer Tony Tornay, Fatso Jetson are often credited as a pioneer in desert rock alongside contemporaries such as Kyuss, Yawning Man and Queens of the Stone Age among others. Fatso Jetson's sound, while musically similar to their stoner brethren, incorporate a wider variety of musical influences such as punk, surf, jazz and psychedelic rock. To date the band has released seven studio albums with their lineup fluctuating as a trio, quartet or quintet depending on the lineup. Fatso Jetson has sporadically toured but in the 2010s began touring more frequently, specifically with frequent tours of Europe. The band's name comes from a character from an Ingmar Bergman film. History Fatso Jetson formed in Palm Desert, California circa 1994 when brothers Mario and Larry Lalli opened a live venue in Indio, California's "Rhythm & Brews".Third AV The Lalli brothers, along with drummer Tony Tornay, founded Fatso Jetson in 1994 when the trio when the band composed nine or ten songs. The band performed their first live show in September 1994 as support for Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. On the basis of this liver performance Ginn would sign the band to SST Records with the intent of releasing an album. Fatso Jetson would begin performing aas many shows as they can, including a short six date tour with Kyuss. The band's debut album Stinky Little Gods saw release in August 1995. Two years later saw release of a quick follow-up in Power of Three, released in November 1997. This saw the first collaboration with Vince Meghrouni as he contributed harmonica and flute to the record. Around the time of the album's release Brant Bjork had joined as a rhythm guitarist. However by the end of the next year he would leave due to his commitments with Fu Manchu. After cobbling together 9 or 10 songs (and coming up with a name that references an old Ingmar Bergman film character) they played their first show in September 1994, opening for former Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. On the basis of this show, Ginn decided he wanted to release an album with the band on his SST Records imprint. The band then went on to play as many shows as possible including a tour with fellow desert dwellers Kyuss. Then, in August 1995, Fatso Jetson’s first record, “Stinky Little Gods” was released. Just over 2 years later in November 1997, the band released their second full length opus, “Power Of Three”, again on SST featuring the bands first collaboration with Vince Meghrouni. It was around this time that the band hooked up with Brant Bjork (ex-Kyuss, ex-Fu Manchu skinsman) who played rhythm guitar. Brant stayed in this capacity until touring with Fu Manchu forced him to leave the band, though he did appear on two 7″ releases, one of them a split with The Bloodshot, and the other a split with Fu Manchu. In late 1997 Fatso Jetson started to look for another record label and found themselves in the company of Bongload Custom Records. In April 1998, Tony, Mario and Larry entered Monkey Studios in Palm Springs to record their 3rd full length offering for Bongload. Toasted would be released in 1998 produced by Chris Goss (Masters Of Reality, Desert Sessions). The band would do a short tour with Queens of the Stone Age that July and around this time famed artist Frank Kozik asked the band to record a record for his Man's Ruin Records. In August 1998 the band re-entered Goss’ Monkey Studios to lay down the tracks for a record that would eventually become Flames For All, released circa 8 January 1999 to positive reception. Long time Lalli collaborater Gary Arce joined the band as a rhythm guitarist for a 1998 tour with Queens Of The Stone Age and continued to play with the band for a European tour (Also with Queens), which included an appearance at Dynamo Festival and an appearance at SXSW prior to the tour. Arce would depart from the band in April 2000. After some regional touring in the United States and a second appearance at SXSW in 2000, Fatso Jetson headed back into the studio to record their 5th full length studio album and working in collaboration with Jesse Hughes (Eagles of Death Metal). Recorded in Silver Lake, Ca. at Donner and Blitzen Studios by Mathias Schneeberger, Cruel & Delicious saw release via Josh Homme's Rekords Rekords circa 30 November 2002. After some highly anticipated dates with Queens Of The Stone Age, Fu Manchu, and Beck, Fatso Jetson quieted down for a few years. The permanent members Mario, Tony, and Larry had found themselves living in different cities with other obligations taking over their time. They consistently played regional shows and spent time in various studios recording but it would be a few years before any new music would come to light. Even in this lull LA Weekly nominated them as one of the “Best Rock Bands” in Los Angeles in 2003. Notably Mario had also remained busy with Yawning Man having a resurgence, leading to the release of their debut album Rock Formations in 2005. Tony spent some time playing with Black Flag alum Chuck Dukowski recording a record and playing shows in both the States and Europe with an appearance at Coachella. Recurring member Vince Meghrouni would join the band full-time in 2007. Sporadic shows took place over the next couple years but the band would begin work on their sixth album, recording at Donner & Blitzen Studios with Mathia Schneeberger and Total Annihilation Studios with Eddie Rivas. Fatso Jetson would tour Europe in 2010, built around appearances at Grand Blitz Festival and Roadburn Festival, sharing the stage with the likes of Oak's Mary, Ahkmed, Colour Haze and Los Natas among others.Last.fm The band also released a Split 7" with Oak's Mary for the European Tour. Archaic Volumes saw release on 3 April 2010 via Cobraside Distribution. Archaic Volumes would attain positive reviewsThe ObeliskSputnik Music and rank at #4 of The Obelisk's top 20 albums of 2010.The Obelisk Fatso Jetson would further tour in support of Archaic Volumes in 2012 alongside The Atomic Bitchwax, notably appearing at Duna Jam and Stoned From The Underground. Fatso Jetson (Now with a fifth member in Mario's son Dino Van Lalli on second guitar.) and Yawning Man would embark on a special tour of Europe the next year known as Legends of the Desert, with notable appearances at DesertFest Berlin, Desertfest London and Maximum Festival, the latter spawning a live album from both bands. The band would again take some time off as Mario Lalli would tour extensively with Yawning Man while managing the punk band OFF!. Tornay would join Brant Bjork's live band touring throughout the world in support of his 2014 album Black Flower Power. Lalli and Fatso Jetson would also be featured in the Foo Fighters' HBO miniseries Sonic Highways. Fatso Jetson would tour with Yawning Man again in 2015 (Legends of The Desert Volume II) and tour a second time with 3rd Eye Experience and [Fever Dog. Work would then begin on the band's seventh album, though in an interview with The Obelisk Mario Lalli would admit the album came with some difficulties: Now signed to Italian label Heavy Psych Sounds, Fatso Jetson's seventh album Idle Hands saw release on 7 October 2016, attaining generally positive reviews through the likes of The Obelisk,The Obelisk The Sludgelord,The Sludgelord and Sputnik MusicSputnik Music Fatso Jetson would tour Europe in support of the album alongside Swedish stoner rockers Greenleaf, closing out the year with a hometown release party on 11 November alongside Mondo Generator and The Freeks.Coachella Valley Weekly Fatso Jetson would do their most extensive tour of North America the next April and May, touring alongside The Obsessed, Karma To Burn, Weedeater and Primitive Man.Fatso Jetson Facebook The band's activity would be more sporadic over the next couple years, participating in short tours with All Souls and 1000mods while appearing at various marquee events when time allows, as members are also busy with various projects such as All Souls, Big (Pig) and Big Scenic Nowhere. Fatso Jetson would also tour North America in 2020 supporting Planet of Zeus on their first North American tour, sponsored by The Obelisk.The Obelisk Discography Studio Albums *'Stinky Little Gods' (1995, SST Records) *'Power of Three' (1997, SST Records) *'Toasted' (1998, Bong Load Records) *'Flames For All' (1999, Man's Ruin Records) *'Cruel & Delicious' (2001, Rekords Rekords) *'Archaic Volumes' (2010, Cobraside Distribution) *'Idle Hands' (2016, Heavy Psych Sounds) Live Albums *'Fatso Jetson Live' (2007, Cobraside Distribution) *'Live at Maximum Festival' (2014, Go Down Records) Split Releases *'Accelerator General / Tailspin' (Split with The Bloodshot) (1997, Miracle Records) *'Jailbreak / Blueberries & Chrome' (Split with Fu Manchu) (1998, Sessions Records) *'King Faduke / Vim' (Split with Fireball Ministry) (1999, Cattleprod Recordings) *'Fatso Jetson / Oak's Mary' (Split with Oak's Mary) (2010, Third Conspiracy / Taxi Driver) *'Yawning Man & Fatso Jetson' (Split with Yawning Man) (2013, Self-Released) *'Early Shapes' (Split with Herba Mate) (2014, Go Down Records) *'Fatso Jetson & Farflung' (Split with Farflung) (2015, Heavy Psych Sounds) *'Double Quartet Series #1' (Split with Hifiklub) (2016, Subsound) *'Dreamhomes / Die Cast' (Split with del-Toros) (2016, Shattered Platter) *'Legends Of The Desert (DesertFest Vol. IV)' (Split with Yawning Sons, Waterways, Mario Lalli) (2018, H42 Records) Personnel Current Members *'Mario Lalli' - Vocals & Guitar (1994 - Present) *'Larry Lalli' - Bass (1994 - Present) *'Tony Tornay' - Drums (1994 - Present) *'Vince Meghrouni' - Sax & Harmonica (2007 - Present) *'Dino Von Lalli' - Guitar (2013 - Present) Former Members *'Brant Bjork' - Guitar (1997 – 1998) *'Gary Arce' - Guitar (1998 – 2000) *'Jesse Hughes' - Guitar, Vocals (2001 - 2002?) List of Known Tours *'1995 North American Tour' (With Kyuss) (1995) *'QotSA Mini Tour 1998' (With Queens of the Stone Age, Acid King, Goatsnake) (1998) *'1999 European Tour' (With Queens of the Stone Age) (1999)/ Man's Ruin Records via Wayback Machine *'2000 North American Tour' (2000) *'2010 European Tour' (With Oak's Mary) (2010)Last.fm *'2012 European Tour' (Select dates with The Atomic Bitchwax) (2012)Fatso Jetson FacebookLast.fm *'Legends of the Desert' (With Yawning Man) (2013) *'August 2013 Mini-Tour' (With Hornss) (2013)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'Legends of The Desert Volume II' (With Yawning Man) (2015) *'European Tour 2015' (With 3rd Ear Experience, Fever Dog) (2015)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'Rise Above The Meadow Tour' (With Greenleaf) (2016)Fatso Jetson FacebookFatso Jetson Facebook *'Italian Tour 2016' (2016)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'2017 North American Tour' (With The Obsessed, Karma To Burn) (2017)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'The Desertfest Tour' (With All Souls) (2018)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'A Small Joint on The West Coast' (With 1000mods, Ape Machine) (2019)Fatso Jetson Facebook *'2020 North American Tour' (With Planet of Zeus, Druids) (2020)The Obelisk External Links Official Links *Official Website *Fatso Jetson Facebook *Fatso Jetson on Last.fm *Fatso Jetson Bandcamp *Archived Biography Archival Links *2015 Interview via The Obelisk *2016 Interview via New Noise *2015 Interview via Coachella *Interview via Desert Rock Chronicles *Interview with Larry Lalli via Orange Amps *Interview via Desert-Rock.com *Interview via New York Daily News *Interview via The Sludgelord References Category:Band Category:Palm Desert Category:California Category:USA Category:Larry Lalli Category:Mario Lalli Category:Man's Ruin Records Category:Fatso Jetson Category:Tony Tornay Category:Brant Bjork Category:Gary Arce Category:Desert Rock Category:Stoner Rock Category:Bong Load Records Category:SST Records Category:1994 Category:Dino Van Lalli